Nemesia plant named ‘Innkablue’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nemesia  plant named ‘Innkablue’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; and numerous dark violet-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Nemesia hybrida cultivar Innkablue.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia plant, botanically known as Nemesia hybrida and referred to by the name ‘Innkablue’.

The new Nemesia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the program is to create new compact Nemesia cultivars with numerous flowers, unique flower colors and fragrance.

The new Nemesia originated from a cross by the Inventors of a proprietary Nemesia hybrid selection identified as code N98Sä3tetra2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Nemesia hybrid cultivar Hubbird, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,014, as the male, or pollen, parent during the summer of 1999. The cultivar Innkablue was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany during the summer of 1999.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nemesia by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany since 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Nemesia are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Nemesia has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of ‘Innkablue’ and distinguish ‘Innkablue’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Numerous dark violet-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia flower earlier than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia have larger flowers than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia are more freely flowering than         plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Nemesia are most similar to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Hubbird. Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of the cultivar Hubbird in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia are more vigorous than plants of         the cultivar Hubbird.     -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia have larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Hubbird.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Nemesia are more fragrant than         flowers of plants of the cultivar Hubbird.     -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Nemesia are more intense dark         violet in color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Hubbird.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Nemesia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Nemesia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical potted plant of ‘Innkablue’ that was about ten weeks old.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Innkablue’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., in an outdoor nursery during the spring with day temperatures ranging from 18 to 35° C. and night temperatures ranging from 7 to 18° C. After rooting, plants were grown for about ten weeks in 15-cm containers with one plant per container. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nemesia hybrida cultivar Innkablue. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Nemesia hybrid selection             identified as code N98Sä3tetra2, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Nemesia hybrid cultivar Hubbird, disclosed in             U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,014. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About two to three weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; white in color. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Upright, outwardly spreading to trailing             plant habit; broad inverted triangle. Freely branching,             typically about 14 primary lateral branches and about three             or four secondary lateral branches per primary lateral             branch. Numerous dark violet-colored zygomorphic flowers.             Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 23 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 39 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Appearance: Square in cross-section with             longitudinal ridges. Length: About 22 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Internode length: About 3 to 3.5 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Shape:             Elliptic. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate. Length:             About 5.5 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm. Margin: Broadly serrate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Petiole length: About             4 mm. Petiole diameter: About 5 mm. Color: Developing and             fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 147A. Developing and             fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper             and lower surfaces: 147B. Petiole: 146A. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—Zygomorphic bilabiate solitary             flowers arranged on terminal racemes; flowering acropetally             towards apex. Flowers face mostly outward. Flowers last             about five days on the plant. Flowers not persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Natural flowering season is spring             to fall; flowering continuous during this period.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering with about 20 to 26             open flowers and flower buds per raceme at one time.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 15 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower depth, including nectar spur.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Ovoid with spur. Length including spur:             About 7 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Color: More gray than             186C.         -   Petals.—Arrangement/shape: Five petals total. Four upper             petals are fused at base to form an upright lobed and arched             banner lip; lower petal modified into a larger lip with             nectar spur and convex oval protuberance which serves as             pollinator nectar guide and landing platform. Shape: Oval to             oblong. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Length: Upper petal:             About 1 cm. Lateral petals: About 9 mm. Lower petal: About             1 cm. Width: Upper petal: About 6 mm. Lateral petals: About             8 mm. Lower petal: About 1.4 cm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, velvety. Color: When opening, upper             surface: 83B. When opening, lower surface: More gray than             86D. Fully opened, upper surface: 83C; towards base narrow             central ring, 155D. Fully opened, lower surface: More gray             than 86D. Nectar guide: 3A. Nectar spur: 157A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: Five-parted, star-shaped calyx. Shape:             Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Length:             About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146A.         -   Peduncle.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: Upright to 45° from the stem.             Color: 146A.         -   Pedicel.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: About 45° from the stem. Color:             146A.         -   Androecium.—Stamen number: Four per flower. Anther shape:             Oval. Anther size: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 24A. Amount             of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: 24A.         -   Gynoecium.—Pistil number: One per flower. Pistil length:             About 3 mm. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: 145D.             Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 145D. Ovary color:             145C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed             on plants of the new Nemesia. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nemesia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Nemesias. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 2° to 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia plant named ‘Innkablue’, as illustrated and described. 